Younger horses looking to climb up the classification ladder were featured in two $16,438 conditioned events at Harrah’s Philadelphia on Sunday, June 22.
The Great Challenger-Primella gelding Inferno Dk (perhaps enjoying the afternoon heat) evened up his North American record – two breaks, and now two wins – after taking a new mark of 1:54.3 in the trotting section of the feature class. Tim Tetrick got no misbehaviour from his charge, who carved out fractions of :28.3, :58.1, and 1:26.1 while in full control for trainer-owner Yinson Quezada. Theobald (Corey Callahan) came home 2-1/2 lengths behind the winner in second, followed by Bay Breeze Hanover (Dave Miller).
Inferno Dk, a five-year-old gelding, is now seven-for-35 lifetime and four-for-11 this campaign, which he began in Sweden. He returned $13.40 to win.
The Always B Miki-Mcgibson Beach gelding Always B Gibby ($4) showed he is in career form as he won for the second straight week in the handicap pace for feature-level males. Here he parlayed a pocket trip off :27.1, :55.3, and 1:23.2 splits into a win in a lifetime-best 1:51 with a :27.1 sprint home. Pack A Punch (Patrick Ryder) provided the fractions but had to settle for place, beaten a length. Waterfront (Tetrick) finished third.
Jack Pelling worked out the top trip with Always B Gibby, who is trained by Nifty Norman (the only conditioner with two wins on the day) for LSC Stables. The four-year-old started the season winless in nine tries and is now two-for-11. He has won four of 32 career outings.
In a $15,068 conditioned pace for fast-class veterans, Belmont Royale N ($4) was parked out most of a :26.1 quarter to get the lead, then forced hard work from Bettor Not Talk (Tetrick) before surrendering the front to that one and sitting behind him in mid-fractions of :54.1 and 1:22. In the stretch, Mark Herschberger directed Belmont Royale N to the passing lane, and the winning Betterthancheddar-Royal Spin gelding gained enough on the tough pacesetter to go by him and win by a neck in 1:49.1. Patronus Star N (Callahan) was third.
Belmont Royale N, an eight-year-old Norman trainee, lowered his lifetime mark for owners Archie McNeil, Bill O'Donnell, and Enzed Racing Stable Inc. With his third tally in 14 attempts this season, he improved his lifetime record to 27-for-115.
Yogi Sheridan won a $10,274 race for the American Harness Drivers Club, guiding pacer Farmers Beach ($2.40) in a 1:54.3 romp. Dylan George trains Farmers Beach, a four-year-old gelding by Sunshine Beach out of Holy Creek, for owner Gretchen Smith.
Green and gold were the colours of the day at Philly, accounting for half of the drivers of the winners: the track’s leading driver, Tim Tetrick, recorded three victories, while Troy Beyer and Corey Callahan had driving doubles.
Racing resumes at 12:25 p.m. this “Trottin’ Thursday,” with all manner of good contests for diagonally-gaited horses. Philly will then follow with cards on Friday at 12:25 p.m. and Sunday at 12:40 p.m, and then on July 2 will add 12:25 p.m. live cards for the five Wednesdays of July.
(With files from PHHA/Harrah’s Philadelphia & American Harness Drivers Club)